


I'll Let You Figure It Out

by BlackCanine



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-14
Updated: 2013-01-14
Packaged: 2017-11-25 11:19:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackCanine/pseuds/BlackCanine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jeremy has so many big brothers watching out for him. And Tyler Lockwood is decidedly not one of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Let You Figure It Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LostandAlone22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostandAlone22/gifts).



> I wrote this fic for [LostandAlone22](http://archiveofourown.org/users/LostandAlone22/) as a part of the [tvd_holidays](http://tvd-holidays.livejournal.com/) exchange at LiveJournal and I hope she liked it. This takes place during season 2, with some changes. For one, Tyler doesn’t really leave home.
> 
> I do not own _The Vampire Diaries_ or any of its characters. There is no profit gained from writing or publishing this story.

Jeremy has so many big brothers watching out for him. There’s Matt, for example, who’s always seen him as Elena’s baby brother and, being in love with her and all, he’s always felt somewhat protective of him. The same could be said about the Salvatore brothers. Stefan is always there making sure everyone Elena loves is safe. Damon, on the other hand, is a bit of a wild card. He could snap his neck one day and offer to take away his pain the next.

But it couldn’t all be just because of Elena, now, could it? Elena and the fact that nearly every guy she meets is instantly smitten by her cannot be the sole reason why there are so many brother figures in Jeremy’s life. There’s Alaric, for one. Though one could say that Alaric is more of a crazy uncle than a big brother. Still, his protectiveness of both Gilberts has nothing to do with him being in love with Elena (because, ew) and not even with his growing romance with Jenna. No. It’s probably the way both him and Elena are somehow the closest Alaric’s been to have a real family. And in turn, Alaric became the grown up male figure that’s been missing in their lives since their father died. Because certainly John doesn’t count as a legitimate family figure. So yes, Jeremy has many big brothers watching out for him. And Tyler Lockwood is decidedly not one of them.

Tyler Lockwood has always been some kind of antagonist in his life. Jeremy can remember back when he was a kid and he used to tag along with Matt and Tyler, even though they were eleven and way too cool to hang out with a ten year old. Matt always ended up brokering peace between Jeremy and Tyler and saying something like “Come on, Ty, he’s Elena’s little brother”. Those were words Jeremy still heard in high school as a way to make Tyler back off.

Things are different now. Maybe it’s because they’ve both experienced loss, or maybe is that damn supernatural vortex of doom that seems to suck everyone they’re close to in. So when Tyler kills Sarah and activates his werewolf curse it’s not an impossible task for Jeremy to walk all the way to the Lockwood mansion to see Tyler the morning after the masquerade party. It’s still hard, though.

“What are you doing here, Gilbert?” is the expected Tyler welcome line.

“I just thought I’d drop by to see how you are,” Jeremy answers shyly with his hands inside his jacket pockets.

“Well, everything’s fine, as you can see.”

“I can’t,” Jeremy replies without missing a beat.

“Look, I don’t know what you think, but…”

“Someone died at your hand last night, Tyler. I know it was an accident, but I also know what it will mean for you. You told me.”

“Are you serious? You can’t possibly believe that’s true.”

“It’s not?” Jeremy asks and his hands are no longer inside his pockets. One swift movement and his father’s old Swiss army knife is slashing Tyler’s skin right there on the front porch.

“What the hell?!” Tyler exclaims and pushes Jeremy away with a shove that wasn’t meant to be that strong but still sends Jeremy flying backwards and landing on his ass a few feet away. “What the hell did you do that for? You cut my face!” Tyler yells.

“Then why don’t I see a cut?” Jeremy inquires from the ground. Tyler takes his hand to his cheek. There’s blood on his fingers but there’s no wound to be found.

“That’s impressive,” Jeremy says.

“And it’s not your business,” Tyler replies before getting back inside the mansion and shutting the door close as Jeremy rises to his feet.

 

It becomes a new thing between them: Jeremy seeks Tyler and the jock does his best to avoid him. Interesting turn, to have the bully running away from his victim of choice.

Jeremy might worry for Tyler and for the entire Mystic Falls population with a newbie werewolf on the loose, but Caroline apparently takes it upon herself to teach him the ropes of being a creature of the night and Tyler even looks smitten with her, so Jeremy lets it be.

What Jeremy can’t miss is that for someone who is going out of his way to avoid him, the wolf cant’s seem to stop staring at him. Jeremy can feel Tyler’s stare in the hallways and at the cafeteria during lunch. He knows he’s watching him when he goes to the men’s room, even though when he turns around there’s no one there.

At first Jeremy thinks Tyler is worried he might spill to someone Tyler’s new supernatural condition and Jeremy finds it ridiculous at best. Like he’s going to sit next to his lab partner at Chem and say “Hey, guess who on the football team is a werewolf!”. After a while Jeremy comes to the conclusion that Tyler’s just waiting for the right opportunity to snap his neck before he even dares to breathe a word about him.

That theory kind of flies out the window one morning when he’s sitting with Bonnie at a booth in The Grill. They both see Luka Martin walking inside and looking for them.

“In coming,” Jeremy says.

“Are you gonna tell me what the hell happened yesterday?” Luka asks Bonnie, anger pouring out his every pore.

“Sorry?” Bonnie asks with the most innocent tone she’s able to produce.

“Don’t play dumb. You both were here and…”

“And?” Jeremy asks.

“And that’s all I remember!” Luka yells, “one minute I’m playing pool and the next I’m waking up in a bathroom stall.”

“I’m sorry, Luka, but everything seemed normal yesterday. I brought you coffee and we played pool,” Bonnie explains, innocent act all the way up.

“See, I think you’re lying,” Luka states menacingly like a mad man. It grates on Jeremy’s nerves.

“And I think you need to back off!” he says standing up, doing his best not to show he’s expecting an aneurysm any minute now. A hand is suddenly on Luka’s shoulder.

“You heard him,” Tyler’s voice says behind Luka. The warlock turns around and is met with a murderous stare. The look on Tyler is so intense, Luka visibly flinches, even though he could probably take him down if he didn’t mind exposing the town to the supernatural in the middle of The Grill. In the end, Luka decides to do what he’s told and back off.

 

Jeremy walks to the Lockwood mansion for the second time since Tyler turned.

“What are you doing here, Gilbert?” Jeremy rolls his eyes and wonders if Tyler realizes how unoriginal his welcome lines are becoming.

“I could ask you the same question. I thought you’d left.”

“Who told you that?”

“Word got around,” Jeremy shrugs.

“I thought I told you to mind your own business.”

“And again, I could tell you the same thing, but you didn’t today at The Grill,” he accuses.

“What do you want me to say, Jeremy?”

“Why did you come back? Why do you keep staring at me?” Jeremy didn’t intend to blurt out that last question.

“That’s not true,” Tyler lies.

“It is.”

“Maybe I just want to make sure you keep your mouth shut about what you think you know,” Tyler says.

“Or maybe you’re just full of shit,” Jeremy says, “why did you come back?”

“You know what? You’re a smart kid, I’ll let you figure it out.” And for the second time that month, the door is slammed on Jeremy’s face.

 

Jeremy can’t make sense of it. It’s not like he isn’t used to having everyone watching out for him, but it’s usually because he’s Elena’s baby brother and, if he’s honest with himself, he did went a little off the rails after his parents died. It doesn’t explain Tyler’s hot-and-cold attitude towards him. Does he hate him? If so, why protect him? If he doesn’t, why avoid him?

Tyler doesn’t quit the staring but he doesn’t talk to Jeremy either. It’s okay, though, he’s got other things to worry about, like helping Bonnie harness the power of a hundred dead witches so she can kill Klaus. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Tyler.

“Are you and Bonnie dating?” Tyler asks one day, closing Jeremy’s locker shut with his hand to get his attention.

“You avoid me for weeks and this is what you wanna talk about?” Jeremy asks incredulous, “you wanna date her or something?”

“Just answer the question, Gilbert.”

“We’re not,” Jeremy answers shoving Tyler’s hand away so he can open his locker again and burry his head in it to retrieve his books, “we’re just good friends, that’s all. I don’t think she’d go for you, though.” When Jeremy takes his head out of the locker, Tyler’s gone.

 

The next full moon arrives and brings death, despair and suffering for everybody with it. Jenna dies, so do Tyler’s friend Jules and Jeremy’s uncle. Matt dumps Caroline, but not before telling her that her mother kinda sorta wants to kill her and that the secret is out to the town’s sheriff. The worst part is that it’s all for nothing: Klaus is alive, more powerful and dangerous than ever, and it only cost them the lives of their loved ones. The day of the funeral is the one day Jeremy can’t deal with seeing or talking to anybody, and it’s also the day Tyler picks to show up at his doorstep for once.

“What are you doing here?” Jeremy is too exhausted to pick up on the irony of that line. Tyler doesn’t answer, he just traps Jeremy on a hug and Jeremy holds on to it like it’s a lifeline. The strength of it would surely crush Tyler, were he an ordinary human. But it’s okay: he’s not and Jeremy can squeeze as hard as he wants. Something dampens his shirt’s shoulder and Tyler realizes Jeremy is crying. Softly, quietly, trying hard to make Tyler not notice, but he fails and Tyler hugs him stronger.

“I’m glad you never left,” is all Jeremy says.

 

Tyler and Caroline have a new policy now: full disclosure on everything. That’s how he learns Damon is dying because of him.

“Is there anything I can do?” Tyler asks Caroline at the town square where she and Bonnie are pretending to watch _Gone with the wind_.

“There isn’t. Stefan’s trying to find a cure, but time’s running short,” Caroline explains and Tyler doesn’t say anything. He feels guilty and doesn’t know what to say that doesn’t sound pointless and stupid.

“You know, these things make you realize you have to seize life while you got it,” Caroline says, “even us, creatures of the night, come with an expiration date.”

“What are you talking about?” Tyler asks.

“Matt broke up with me and it sucks, but I least I got to tell him how I feel for him, so now I’ll never have to wonder what it could’ve been,” she explains.

“I guess you’re right. Why are you telling me all this?”

“You know why. If you don’t tell him how you feel, you might regret it later when the chance is gone,” Caroline warns him.

“I don’t even know who you think…” but the stops at Caroline’s “cut the crap” stare.

“You know, this full disclosure thing is not going to work if you can’t even be honest with yourself,” she points out and Tyler thanks Bonnie for having the decency to look extra interested in the movie.

“It’s complicated,” Tyler says.

“It always is,” Caroline replies.

Caroline’s phone ringing saves him from any more talk on the subject.

“It was Jeremy, he’s with Damon at The Grill,” she explains.

 

By the time they arrive at The Grill, Damon’s nowhere to be found. Instead there’s Liz Forbes kneeling over Jeremy’s unconscious body.

“Jeremy!” Tyler screams, rushing past Caroline and Bonnie towards the dead kid.

“Mom, mom, what did you do?” Caroline asks her mother.

“I was aiming for Damon,” the sheriff sobs and Tyler can’t even see Jeremy’s face, anger and hate filling his brain and blinding his eyes. He wants to kill everyone. Liz for shooting Jeremy, Damon for being there with him, himself for never telling him how he felt for him, Caroline for being right about it. He wishes for a full moon to come and turn him so he can cover his grief with physical pain, run out the door and slaughter everyone who gets on his way.

“He still has his ring,” Caroline points out and Tyler, for the life of him, can’t figure out how that’s relevant in any way.

“She’s human, the ring won’t work on him,” Bonnie replies, “Caroline!” she urges her.

“I got it,” and then Caroline’s biting on her wrist and feeding her blood on Jeremy’s mouth.

“Come on, Jeremy, just drink. Go on, Jeremy, drink,” Caroline mumbles like a prayer.

“What are you doing?” the sheriff asks horrified.

“I’m helping him. Jeremy, drink. Please, please, please.” But Jeremy doesn’t drink.

Tyler is the first to hear someone walking inside The Grill.

“Bonnie, what’s going on?” Alaric asks before he sees Jeremy’s body lying on the floor and he’s face looks as revolted as everyone’s when he notices him. “Oh, my God!”

“I know what I need to do,” Bonnie says, “I need you to grab him. Take him with us,” she instructs Alaric.

“I’m coming with you,” Tyler says.

“No, no, no, no. You can’t move him, this is a crime scene,” the sheriff says and Tyler never thought he could want to kill someone as much as he wants to kill Caroline’s mom right now.

“Mom! You let them go,” Caroline says and Tyler thanks the fact that Caroline’s commanding no-nonsense voice can work even on her mother.

“Come on,” Alaric says and Tyler picks up Jeremy’s body from the floor.

“Alright, come here, buddy, I got you. I got you,” Tyler tells Jeremy, pretending he can hear him.

 

Bonnie takes them to an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere and for a minute Tyler isn’t sure if Bonnie is trying to help Jeremy or if she’s trying to cover a murder.

“I’m going to bring him back to life,” Bonnie declares as Tyler lays Jeremy’s body on the basement floor.

“Is that even possible?” Alaric asks.

“There’s a spell for it if they give me the power to use it,” Bonnie explains and Tyler wonders who she’s referring to. Next thing he knows, Bonnie is sitting on the floor chanting with Jeremy on her lap and unintelligible voices start whispering around them, though Tyler suspects Bonnie is the only one who can make out what they say.

“No!” Bonnie exclaims in a choked whisper.

“What, what is it?” Tyler asks.

“They’re angry at me for coming back here. They don’t wanna help,” Bonnie cries.

“Well, they have to!” Tyler yells.

“They said there’ll be consequences,” Bonnie says.

“Well, he’s just a kid, tell them to shut up!” Alaric intervenes.

The whispers inside the room get louder as Bonnie resumes her chanting. Tyler notices how her nose is starting to bleed.

“What the...?” he begins to ask but Alaric motions him to shut up with a hand gesture.

“Emily! Emily! I know you’re there. Please help me!” Bonnie implores to somebody and Tyler really hopes whoever it is, that she’s actually there.

“Please!” Tyler shouts at the walls, hoping this Emily woman will hear him. “I love him!” he cries.

The whisperings suddenly stop and it becomes evident that whatever magic was going on has stopped as well.

“No!” Bonnie cries. Suddenly Jeremy opens his eyes on her lap.

“Oh my God!” Tyler exclaims.

“Bonnie?” Jeremy asks when he’s able to focus his eyes on the head above him.

“Oh my God, Jeremy, oh my God!” Bonnie sobs. Jeremy turns around to find Tyler and Alaric.

“Tyler? What happened?” Jeremy asks.

“Doesn’t matter. You’re ok, you’re ok,” Tyler says as Bonnie raises her head in tears and looks at the ceiling.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

 

Jeremy walks all the way to the Lockwood mansion for the third time since Tyler became a werewolf.

“I’m here to talk to you, so don’t even ask me what I’m doing here, Lockwood,” Jeremy says as soon as Tyler opens the door. Tyler stares at Jeremy torn between the need to hug him and never let him go and the impulse to flee as fast as he can.

“I figured it out,” Jeremy says, “why you came back the day after you left.” Tyler still remains silent.

“It was because of me, wasn’t it? You have a thing for me, don’t you?” Jeremy asks. And Tyler is about to slam the door on Jeremy’s face again when the picture of Jeremy lying dead on The Grill’s floor comes to his mind along with Caroline’s words: _You know, these things make you realize you have to seize life while you got it_.

Tyler thinks, what the hell and goes for it. He steps out of his house and looks at Jeremy straight in the eye.

“You got so close, Gilbert,” he says finally, getting so close to him their lips almost brush together, “I stayed here because of you, but I don’t have a thing for you.”

“You don’t?” Jeremy asks incredulous.

“It’s more than that. Didn’t you say you had figured it out?” Tyler asks with a smile. Jeremy pulls away just a little, just enough so he can look at Tyler. The wolf just laughs.

“You’re pack, Jere,” he says at last and closes the distance between them with a small kiss on Jeremy’s lips, a peck, really. “You’re pack,” he repeats. Jeremy is the one take the initiative this time. He grabs Tyler by the waist and kisses him deeply and properly, the way he’s fantasized about since he hit puberty, only better, because Tyler is kissing him back, hungrily, possessively, territorially.

Yes, Jeremy has many big brothers watching out for him. A couple of big sisters too, like Bonnie, who he must probably send the biggest gift basket possible sometime soon. But Tyler Lockwood is decidedly not one of those big siblings. He’s more than that, Jeremy thinks as his ecstatic grin gets in the way of the kissing. He’s pack. Jeremy laughs in Tyler’s mouth. He’s pack.

“What is it?” Tyler asks, half laughing too.

“We’re pack,” he says simply and Tyler kisses him again.


End file.
